Posts tagged “liquids”

Travel has just got easier for me. The USA, as usual paranoid about security has introduced rules which stop TOURISTS like me from getting the ESTA electronic visas. If you have visited any of the countries on the USA list, then you are now ineligible for the ESTA visa. This also means that you cannot transit the USA. The American government cannot get it into their heads that there are TOURISTS who visit countries like Iran, Iraq and Sudan to learn more about the culture and life there. But paranoid American officials now consider TOURISTS like these as a security risk. So it is an easy decision for me, no more visits to the USA. I will take my TOURIST dollars/euros/dirhams somewhere else.

And now I see that Australia is also becoming much like the USA. Now at international airports in Australia, they have made the body scanner machines compulsory. Of course they are saying that there is no danger to the public, but officials also said the same thing with the original body scanner X-Ray machines, until it was discovered that there WERE health dangers with the scanners. So when they tell me that there is no danger (officials also said the same thing after the Chernobyl nuclear accident) then I do not believe them. So I will not be compulsorily irradiated because I am innocent. So now I will be avoiding Australia as well, including in transit. And apparently, Australia wants to start trials of facial recognition technology at gateway airports to avoid the need for passports. How much more big-brother is coming??? So two countries on the off list (USA & Australia). Makes planning the next trip easier. Their loss, my money will go to other countries. And is it not about time that these stupid rules about liquids are abolished??? Since when has a 200ml tube of tooth paste or shampoo been dangerous??

And why do they make the pilots go through security checks as well? Are they afraid that the pilot might get control of the aircraft?? Has no airport official ever seen the STUPIDITY of making pilots (who have full control of the aircraft) go through a security check? I watched one pilot at Brisbane airport recently having to remove his mobile phone from his pocket to go through security again. Yet no official has ever questioned the logic of such a stupid procedure.

Having been attacked and robbed recently by a bandit with a bushknife (see the previous post) I was searching around for a new Fuji camera. I was amazed to see on a website with sample images from a Fuji camera, and advertisement for stab-proof jackets (see the screenshot below). Either my internet is being monitored, or it was an amazing coincidence….

and a photo from the now-stolen camera…..again great sharpness and colours from Fuji…..